{"data":{"id":"us-ca/civ-1788.16","jurisdiction":"us-ca","citation":"CIV § 1788.16","heading":"","body":"It is unlawful, with respect to attempted collection of a covered debt, for a debt collector, creditor, or an attorney to send a communication that simulates legal or judicial process or that gives the appearance of being authorized, issued, or approved by a governmental agency or attorney when it is not. Any violation of the provisions of this section is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or by both.","path":["Civil Code - CIV","DIVISION 3. OBLIGATIONS [1427. - 3273.91.]","PART 4. OBLIGATIONS ARISING FROM PARTICULAR TRANSACTIONS [1738. - 3273.91.]","TITLE 1.6C. FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES [1788. - 1788.33.]","ARTICLE 2. Debt Collector Responsibilities [1788.10. - 1788.185.]"],"source_url":"https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zip","current_through":"2026-09-13","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T05:56:33Z","sha256":"7e9e6ee98fd6650f3bce878b0262c3da2f057eeeb9adc62b8d50432b4cf1b6d5","source_id":"us-ca","stale":false,"prev":"us-ca/civ-1788.15","next":"us-ca/civ-1788.17"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}